Top of the list was security. According to most of the top tech sites, Galaxy S III owners might have had a bit of a scare this week. That is, if Samsung hadn't already dealt with the problem before anyone even knew it existed.

Apparently, says Mashable, a vulnerability was discovered in Samsung's Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) that "potentially allowed attackers to remotely wipe the contents of Galaxy S II and III devices," essentially restoring them to factory settings.

This video, of Technical University Berlin researcher Ravi Borgaonkar at a security conference in Argentina, shows how it's done.

“We would like to assure our customers that the recent security issue concerning the GALAXY S III has already been resolved through a software update. We recommend all GALAXY S III customers to download the latest software update, which can be done quickly and easily via the Over-The-Air (OTA) service.”

So, now that your smartphone is safe and sound, how about encrusting it with crystals? If you're nodding your head in agreement, and if you have upwards of £2099 (about $3370 U.S.) to spare, maybe consider upgrading to the Samsung Galaxy S III Swarovski Edition?

This crystal-encrusted "Swarovski Edition" Galaxy S III may cost you upward of $3370, but at least the case is free

The device, available from Amosu Couture, is set with 500 Swarovski crystals around the bezel, plus an extra 16 around the home button. Sort of pricey and all, but you do get a free calf leather case.

Now for the really juicy stuff. Hot on the heels of all the rumors surrounding an iPad Mini launch, Samsung's brewing its own big news about something small.

This leaked German invite to a rumored Samsung Galaxy S III Mini launch reads: "So big can be small. And so small can be big."

According to TechCrunch, which cited "a recently released press invitation," Samsung may be unveiling a smaller scale version of the Galaxy S III (the Mini) at a store in Frankfurt, Germany. The invite, written in German and loosely translated as "So big can be small. And so small can be big," is so far the only proof of such an event.

But it's already got Samsung fans more than a little excited, if you'll excuse the pun.

Android. Apple. Apple. Android. The mobile OS brands and their respective handset manufacturers are in the grip of a fierce, cyclical competition to be the best and win global mindshare. Which is why we follow the momentum and progress of their sales and innovation so closely. So how did the vendors stack up against one another? The usual culprits are present: Apple’s iPhone 4S and Samsung’s Galaxy S 2.

OEM Market Share

For the three-month average period ending in December, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.3 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG Mobile with 20 percent share and Motorola with 13.3 percent share. Apple continued to gain ground in the OEM market with 12.4 percent share of total mobile subscribers (up 2.2 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 6.7 percent share.

Smartphone Platform Market Share

97.9 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in December, representing 40 percent of all mobile subscribers. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 47.3 percent market share, up 2.5 percentage points from September. Apple maintained its #2 position, growing 2.2 percentage points to 29.6 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 16 percent share, followed by Microsoft (4.7 percent) and Symbian (1.4 percent).

According to the another market research firm, The NPD Group, the top three best-selling smartphones in the United States of last quarter all came from Apple: the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 4, and the iPhone 3GS (which consumers can receive at no cost when signing a contract at AT&T). Two of Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S II made the top 5 list as well. The availability of some of these handsets as unlocked devices likely contributed to their success as well.

When diving into the details of this buying behavior, NPD analyst, Ross Rubin, noted that customers are motivated by “a fast processor, improved camera and the Siri speech-driven agent, most iPhone buyers paid a premium for the iPhone 4S, making is the top-selling handset in Q4.” In fact, the latest iPhone 4S outsold its predecessor by a whopping 75% and lapped the iPhone 3GS by a ratio of five to one. Throw in an OS that ties in the number one selling tablets in the world and customer get hooked.

When looking at the mobile OS platform of choice amongst first-time smartphone buyers, Android won out with 57% - Apple only saw 34% of those first time buyers choose their solution.

Much as there are solid tech reasons for Apple’s great performance with the iPhone 4S, NPD’s Rubin also outlines the rationale of Android’s growth and popularity amongst first-time buyers. “Android has been criticized for offering a more complex user experience than its competitors, but the company’s wide carrier support and large app selection is appealing to new smartphone customers,” Rubin noted. “Android’s support of LTE at Verizon has also made it the exclusive choice for customers who want to take advantage of that carrier’s fastest network.”

Aptly named, Samsung’s event at the Consumer Electronics Show is “Pushing Boundaries.” Based on the successes of Samsung the past few years across the electronics industry, their breakout performance on the Android platform in the smartphone market is really no surprise as they really do continue to push the envelope of development. Enhance your mobility and turn your device into a power tool! Discover select accessories, such as stylus & pens, SD Micro memory cards, batteries, speakers and glider gloves all specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

Taking a comprehensive approach, Samsung is looking to truly transform the user’s world with technology that ranges from their SmartTVs to a Smart washing machine. Seriously. The Samsung Galaxy tablets and Samsung Galaxy S II X cell phone will be ever more integrated into home life and interactive with home appliances and televisions.

But as this is the Consumer Electronics Show, what devices are we to be treated with in 2012 that we can hold in our hot little hands? First on the table is the Galaxy Note which is to be initially launched with AT&T and which will likely go toe-to-toe with the Nokia Lumia 900 as the LTE choice. What kind of wait does this means for customers to get unlocked cell phones is unknown, but this Android darling is not one to disappoint.

What will set this smartphone apart is the Super AMOLED HD display and Samsung’s latest stylus technology, the “S Pen”. What is neat about this stylus is that it actually reads pressure. The harder you press on it, the thicker the line will appear. This particular technology has this writer very curious to see what other applications and accessories will dovetail customer needs in the coming months. No doubt this stylus and screen technology will be brought to the Samsung tablet and the Smart TV.

And last on our recap is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE. With the popularity of the Galaxy family of smartphones, the company’s tablet offerings have been closely watched by Android fans, and this beauty should not disappoint. It will initially be a Verizon Wireless exclusive with 4G LTE support. When considering the plays made with device manufacturers and carriers in the US market, this is a smart move to reach AT&T customers with the LTE Galaxy Note and then Verizon fans with the 4G LTE Galaxy Tab 7.7.

As a typical profile... mobile consumers are highly socially engaged, remain continuously connected and rely more and more on their both carrier based or unlocked smartphone's features and applications on a daily basis.

Smartphone penetration has seen a meteoric rise, spiraling from just 18% in late 2009 to 44% in October 2011. A recent 'State of the Media: The Mobile Media Report' conducted by Nielsen indicates that 64% of 25-34 year olds and 53% of 18-24 year olds own a snmartphone and have led in smartphone penetration compared to every other age group since 2009. The individuals in these generation groups also understand that mobile accessories are designed to protect, personalize and enhance your mobile devices.

Some of the more popular smrtphones include the iPhone4s, Blackberry bold 9900, Samsung Galaxy S II and the Motorola Droid Razr. Apple is the top smartphone manufacturer by operating system with 28.6% of the market followed by Blackberry and HTC at 17% and 158% market share respectively. Android outdistanced every other smartphone platform with an ever-growing 42.8% market share... leading Apple iOS at 28.6%, Blackberry at 17% and Windows at a paltry 5.3% market share

Currently, Android leads all other platforms in every age group, followed by a strong showing from Apple iOS.

Although penetration of Android OS and Apple iOS smartphones tend to be slightly higher among those 18–24 and 25–34, older audiences are beginning to own devices previously dominated by younger groups.